BirdofBahrain

Category: Observation by Howard

2017-07-09

Seasonally its hot and humid but this hasn't stopped migrants returning

The summer is far too long here for us humans the weather, well starting the end of May high temperatures kick in, then as July moves through August it just gets hotter and hotter and the humidity rises and often stays around 100% for days on end. Early September if we are lucky it will break and the place gets habitable again but its a long wait until then.

However for many species the summer is the time for breeding, a time when it requires a miracle for it to rain, thus for many Southern Terns species all ground breeders they choose to enter the Gulf during this period so as to escape the Indian Monsoon and breed alongside our hardy resident species.

2017-05-27

Hot but May was one hell of month for Birding - Ramadan Kareem to all

May is coming to an end as Ramadan starts and although temperatures have soared the birds this month photographically speaking have not disappointed. A pile of unusual records which went along with some great opportunities to get close up and personal. Mind you "close up" is a relative term - for the four Crab Plovers off Busaiteen less than a 100 mtrs was close whereas for the Wrynecks its was a question of backing away. The Red backed Shrike always difficult to get to grip with were overwhelming in numbers so we were often spoilt for choice. The only disappointment were the lack of warbler pics, they were glimpsed but seldom gave up a chance to be photographed.

2017-05-14

Summer has arrived with a vengence

I start with a picture unrelated to birds but it is of one of my favourite Bahrain residents the Spiny Tailed Lizard (Dabb Lizard) - they are vegetarian and harmless - this chaps expression sums up for me the change in the weather - it ain't half Hot Mum

Now the Birds -
Lesser Grey Shrike never many but they are stunners

Red-backed Shrike numbers increase

Isabelline Shrike still quite a few about

Purple Swamphen two put in an appearance at Alba/Askar Marsh

Spotted Crake

Little Stint

Little Bittern

Little Grebe a good breeding year thus far

Kentish Plover Chick - they are everywhere

Black-Winged Stilt Chick

Moorhen Chick

Clamorous Warbler have successfully colonised our restricted wetlands

Bee-eater a really disappointing year for obs

Little Tern

Black-crowned Night Heron

Palm Doves

Ringed Plover

Rock Thrush

Spotted Flycatcher

Socotra Cormorant

Slender-billed Gull

Black-headed Gull

Warbler NOT POSITIVELY identified too big too colourful for Willow but only other possibility is a Wood Warbler

2017-04-29

April the hottest since 1902 weather records show

The weather this last month has got its own back with unseasonable highs after the extremely wet and cool spring; I recorded 48c plus once this month according to my own personal weather sensor (my telephone) - mid 30c are normal for this time of the year. However surprisingly there are still quite a few migrants passing at local green wet spots while in contrast the shore has become bit of a ghost town other than for the odd lone wader and the locally breeding Terns, Herons and Egrets. For these local breeders it is more a place of refuge away from tending active nests. Things will start to get interesting on the shore again once fledged young join these adults. Surprisingly also some waders will also by then have started to return.

However in the meantime .......... Inland it is permanent water that is currently the key to finding birds be it from a simple drip line on a vegetable plot, a drainage ditch or to the environs of one of our ponds in our limited and decreasing wetland areas.

As a consequence on my last few field trips out I have ignored many of our better known wintering hot spots instead favoring those with water that I know will produce locally breeding or late migrant birds. Have I missed stuff as a consequence, probably yes.

Starting with a species that I have not seen since 1992

Black-winged Pratincole

Collared Pratincole the most frequently seen

Having seen the two species in quick succession it was possible to make a photo composite for comparative purposes always useful in these circumstance as it becomes immediately clear just how much the two species vary in structure alone. Relative scale had to be guessed but was based on maintaining the eye level alignments and that of the bottom of the breast and junction of the leg.

Black-winged left and Collared Pratincole right

Cream-coloured Couser

Yellow Wagtail

Wood Sandpiper in fact one of many seen - a species that has been extremely common this year

2017-04-24

Busy times

Just back from Egypt, no time to bird unfortunately just a brief visit to the Pyramids and a few walks along the Nile in Cairo however with that and the visit preparations out the way I now have time to update my web site - a factor that really does determine when and how often I can do this.

You can now find me on twitter

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